Celebrity Marriages: Why They Expire Faster Than Cartons of Milk

In this day and age, seeing a celebrity marriage that goes the distance is like spotting a yeti or having coffee with the Lochness monster (FYI, he takes it with cream and sugar). In fact, long-term celebrity marriages are so rare they are often deemed "successful" if they last longer than five years. While there are some star marriages that appear unbreakable—such as Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson—the vast majority fails, petering out like a balloon that is released before it is knotted.

So, why is this? Why is being rich and famous tied to being so unlucky in love? It probably has to do with the following:

Temptation exists in virtually every marriage—the cute secretary, the handsome coworker, the lady at the gym who weirdly collects your sweat-laden towels. Celebrities certainly don't have a monopoly on the art of being tempted. Their temptation, however, may be a bit stronger. Celebrities routinely work with the most beautiful people in the world; hence, they may be more likely to stray from their marriage than those who work with normal-looking individuals.

The Famous Can Possess A Different Value System

Hollywood, and L.A. in general, appears to have a value system that is a bit different than those that exist elsewhere in America. First of all, money and career success are placed at the top of the proverbial totem pole while fidelity is nowhere to be seen. Couple this with the fact that cheating and divorce are a way of life and successful marriages become the anomalies. It can be difficult to fight for a marriage in a world where there are more important things worth fighting for.

Getting Married Too Young

Getting married too young is certainly not limited to those in Hollywood: People all over the world are signing marriage licenses when they should really be signing high school yearbooks (Have a nice summer and KIT—CLASS OF '96 RULES). Yet, the fact that it does happen in Hollywood can play a role in high divorce rates. This may be because people who are young get married before they are totally sure of what they want, or it may be because marrying young doesn't give a person time to date around and meet several of the fish in the sea—fish who may be better wife or husband material that the one chosen to swim with.

Some Marry For The Wrong Reasons

Celebrities are rich, famous, and, usually, beautiful people; thus, it can be difficult for them to know if someone is really marrying them out of love. Non-famous people may marry a star in order to procure financial stability or their 15 minutes of fame, while celebrities may marry each other as publicity stunts or a way to revitalize a stagnant career. Whatever the reason, any union that doesn't involve love, attraction, and romance at its root isn't likely to succeed. Marrying for the wrong reasons will just leave people on the wrong side of America's divorce statistics.